Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 November 1919 — Page 17

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THE INDLLNAPOLIS NEWS. SATODAT. XOYEJTBEK 1, 1919.

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TEAU THIERRY WITH A BATTLE PARTICIPANT AS GUIDE, DS. A. MINTURN HEARS ONE OF THE WAR’S MOST THRILLING TALES

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How the Machine Cun Fighters, Hurrying Forward by Motor, Had to Face and Solve the Problems involved in a Shortage of Gasoline Supply — But, Yankeelike, They Went Ahead and the World Gained a New Admiration for American Valor—There Were Times When the Tide of Battle Did Not Flow Toward the Americans, but Doggedness and Strategy Won—Incidents of the Arrival and Entrance of the Yanks.

POSITION OF -iaL -W e ^ W c ^ C ^-TU1EKWS''

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rrondfother before him will be of Interest to know that the grand-

lived at Weetfleld, Ind., when rived hie appointment to West „ and the family etlll owns proph« erty In that Indiana town.

Travel Frenrk (toads.

OrriCIAl- SKCTCM or CHATEAJJ-THIET^Ry BV CfivW/vTK JOSEPH A.MlHTUfc*l,OF mDlAhiAPOUlS

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valuable to

engl with that *nB Camp tit France

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t eev' Pleetheee west 4s I made of HiU

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general

Major Mendenhall and 1 left Chaumont by the Paris road which winds three times, under the high stone arches of the great railway viaduct, and were kept busy saluting the colored American soldiers, who were everywhere, remaking the once beauUftt! roads now full of chuck holes developed by the heavy trucking of the war. The easy grades of the highways of France, here winding along and across the high hills and ridges, are splendid examples of en- < gtpeering developed through centuries, reaching back to Cwsar's time, and they can be located as far as the eye can see by dpuble rows of high poplars and other treea, aged, mosscovered, and full of mleteltoe. The moss, in fact, is everywhere. Its velvet of golden green Is a mantle to the ground, to the stone yalle and houses, to the tiles on the roofs, and almost to the people who live so slowly and so far behind the times— blending everything into that restful harmony is the special charm of

iTanec.

Major Telle ftery.

“We arrived in France about April IS, ItlS," said the major as we drove >ng. *T was captain of Company 7th % machine/gun battalion. *rd division. The division was billeted in the training area atound ChateuuViilian. and our battalion at La Ferte-Sur-Aube. We'll go there first and then follow the same roads we took when ordered to Chateau-Thierry.

unhesitatingly crossed the bridge In the face of the enemy fire, found Lieutenant Bissel with hii men preparing to swim the river, and dissuading them, led them back over the bridge to safety. • This act of heroism was characteristic of all our men. “Fearing that enemy troops had followed Lieutenant Kissel's party across the bridge and were hiding for s surprise sttsck. Major Taylor sent me four of the battalion reserve guns whicW I placed as best I could, but, except frr heavy gas shelling, nothing further occurred during the night.

Han Airmen Locate Gan.

“On tho morning of June 3 we dug a pit in an open field as a better position for one of the four extra guns, but the enemy air scouts saw us and , we put the gun in a building near the wagon road. Just a few minutes after we abandoned the pit. which we camouflaged before leaving, a German

transported them hurriedly in what cars were still in running condition to Chateau Thierry, where we re-

ported to Msjor Taylor In the Place "h* 11 dropped almost into It and CarnoL By 6 p. m. about six gun w ©bld have killed our men had they squads, from each company were i>®*n there. There was a French pasavailable. and were assigned posi- songer coach on a switch In the yard tions which roughly divided the town the bridge under which our men. Into two sectors; Company A on the w h° w *re in the open, would duck

for cover from aerial observation. During the morning Lieutenant Montgomery. leaving his former guns under Lieutenant Funkhauser, took those having no overhead cover to positions where he covered the railroad track, and to a house, from the

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tng thoroughly demoralised and discouraged. Following these came artillery, blocking the road entirely at times, the faces of the men showing signs of great fatigue and many sleepless nights. Some of the light batteries were going into position there on the slopes of these hills and

en-Brie, built oh a hill. Its many shellshattered buildings told us that we were getting Into the battle area. We negotiated the steep hill and reached the center of the town. A shell bad demolished all but the sign on the village book store, but in a kitchen in the rear we founds the proprietor.

west toward the cathedral and Hill 204.-Company B the east, toward the sugar factory and Brasles. each be- > ing responsible for the defense of a bridge, the local river margin and

one flank.

“Second Lieutenant Cobbey. of

Company B, had a machine guiv In a oecond floor of which he did effective v two-story brick house on the bank long-range firing at the enemy groups of the river, ready to fire from a low- on the long ridge acroia the river, er window and cover the river bank After thp slaughter on the level roads from the bridge east, and one In a near the wheat field the enemy shed on the east of thia building with worked toward Chateau Thierry on range to the northwest. Second Lieut, the ridges, where they could ba seen Paul E. Funkhauser had three guns by the aid of our field glasses. For

others, we moved as m^ ~y of our battalion from Conde to this point in a wooded peninsula about 600 several days our men tried out their companies as we could and the re- above Nesles.” he continued, “where yards to the east of the bridge we machine gun theory by practice on

mainder marched on foot, carrying he reported to a French general com- were defending; two guns ranging human targets, their guns, equipment and packs, manding a colonial division. This west along the river and one east.

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They were later picked up by the cars officer, after outlining the scheme of Two guns, under First

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who had filled their tanks upon ar- defense, instructed the company com- Charles Montgomery, were in a Sunk- were supported by French

rival of the three-ton trucks. “A French courier, greatly excited.

manders to report to a French lieu-tenant-colonel then in the town of

en garden 200 yards south of ths colo * U1 troops, among them the Senbridge. which also enfiladed it. The sharpshooters—wild, fierce.

were firing vigorously, which added who sold us out of a scant remnant met us here.” The major pointed to Chateau Thierry, who wou.J indicate other guns of Company B were held flar k-»klnned. silent fellows, who . ||| - ' k gav* you constant thrill* at night by

unexpectedly challenging at ths point bank oJ a w,cke< * looking bayonet. By day

_ HH also their conduot ||KMN9k|HH|

cept the three-ton trucks had arrived ently waiting orders in yonder field, bile, found the lieutenant-colonel had munication to ' all my guns and to ° 8lt3r - A group would be sitting siv — “* ^—'** ” * v ~ — 4 — ‘ lently under cover when, without any

to the confusion and frightfulness, of her larder.

One can not look at the road now and Imagine what I can but faintly de-

scribe.

Gasoline Rsna Low.

By 2 p. m. the entire- battalion ex-

a part of the ro*d by which we were the positions we were to occupy. We leaving Conde. ,“He urged us to hur- left instructions for our battalion to ry or all would be lost. A full regi- rendezvous In Nesles. and, proceedment of French cavalry was appar- ing to Chateau Thierry by automo-

at battalion headquarters as a re-

serve. My post of command was established under the railroad

giving me a covered line of com-

here at Conde,” the major went on. “We were again almost out of gasoline and our major reported to Gen. Marchand, of the French army, at

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Traffic Jam Appalling.

“This appalling Jam of terrified traffic made it impossible for us to keep our train intact, and as a result

our arrival at Conde-en-Brle was Janvier Ferme. We were told the very fragmentary. Great credit is enemy was expected to begin shelling due the individual man, and especially Conde at any time, and were ordered the drivers, for the way they handled to evacuate Janvier Fenne. Our gas"

Our organisation was ths machine th8 car8 an<1 tor thelr untiring efforts tanks were so nearly empty that our ha ii stopped gun battalion of the division and had t0 k ««P them moving and on the Fords would not pull the hill south- mounted

ourwindows * our an< * men. Our n^ptorQ m „A go mn d' equipment was not receA'ed until |

two companies with twenty-four active and eight reserve guns; twenty-

proper roads to re4ch our destination, west of the town. So. filling a few "The major andc I reached Conde- tanks by emptying gasoline from the

and numberless detachments of crossed to the north side of the River the battalion post of command, Jo- ,

French and British soldiers were hur- Marne, where he had been captured cated tn a house facing Place Carnot. com ' nan< *> on8 °* them would get up rying across the fields in every di- by a German patrol. The officer, a This arrangement was completed by Intervals, face the enemy ridge rection in what/seemed to be the French captain, who gave us this in- 3 a. m., June 1. across the Marne, gaxe intently for a greatest confusion. formation, urged us to bring our minute or two, raise his rifle and lire, “We were on a ridge road and ap- troops into the town With all speed to German Infantrymen Seea. then go back and sit down. After proaching Jfesles, a sub«rb of Cha- prevent the enemy crossing the “About 4 a. m., just, as daylight 80n18 observatign with ths glajwe* I teau Thierry, when Major Menden- bridge to the south side of the river, was getting strong, a' column of leaned ^what they were doing. They ;

the car and we dis- "When we got back to Nesles about German Infantry was observed could see incredibly far, and when half of each company had arrived matching west of the town of they located a gap In a far-away

military personpay thalr respects We were also eater-

uttsed with several

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qualnt

May 20. when we got twenty-four half-ton Ford trucks and two Ford touring cars for each company and six trucks and one touring car for battalion headquarters. % We began at

csremontea. whereby once to teach th * men how to drive Belgian decorations ^ ***** 0u c other training schedule e breasts of many ca N 8< * *P r two months of preliminary,

followed by a ghort period of trench duty in some quiet sector of the front. This should have put us on trenchof an duty * bout JuI F l * l318 *

enolt, “Around 10 a. m. of May 30, Decorlisted atl °b at home, an order came to

our major, Edward G. Taylor, to go at once on our own transportation to

head- Conde-en-Brle, and report to the

French officer commanding that sector. Speed was urged because the German -drive was forcing back the French and the British troops and ail reserves must be thrown in at once to stop the enemy and save Paris.” Major Mendenhall and I had now reached La-Ferte and were crossing the bridge over a small stream on

which was a large rollL Ordered to Battle Uae.

“Here is where we started to train.’* he pointed, “and where we received the hurry-up order to go to the front. When loaded we found that, our cars had on three times their capacity, but the battalion left La-Ferte at 3:63 p. nu In good order. Major Taylor went ahead, followed by Company A and then by Company B. kfter whch came several three-ton trucks with extra ammunition, gaso-

line and equipment.

“We had difficulty in making the steep grades on account of unavoidable overloading. In many cases the rear springs touched the axles, and blow-outs were frequent because the 1 tires could not stand the extra presto sure and we were soon badly strung

out along the road. Refugees Block Roads,

by “We made no stop for supper and the reached Arces.Sur-Aube by 8:30 p. m. nity were out of gasoline and hoped to broken g«t some there, but could not. and

tho north had to wait for our Jhree-ton trucks.

which came In near midnight. Our route was by Mer-Sur-Seine. Anglure. Sezanne. Montmort and Orbays. We came out of Sezanne on this road we are on now about 5 a. m. of May 31. It was blocked with refugees with tneir household good*, babies, old women and little children, crowded and piled on carts, to which cows and donkeys were hitched. Many

11 and its 11 French boy. t me with a wooden * “parie voo Amert h.s head,, but said -Jl Presently his brother, a lad ■Klip Mgfgg&'

Tip for

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THE HOUSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

E’VE had a party at the little house—a rather unpremeditated sort of party, it is true, but a very merry one, nevertheless. It all began with the “false faces” I brought home from downtown Wednesday evening. Buddy and the twins became, in an instant, a most terrifying pirate, an Indian, and a “punkin devil,” as Buddy called the green and yellow monstrosity that hid Mary's chubby countenance. Even baby sister, "camouflaged” as Mephisto—not a very convincing disguise, by the way, for little Miss Four Years

Old.

During the evening meal the conversation ran largely to witches and "ghostes”'and goblins—not the conventional story-book kind, but the thrilling, terrifying sort that our kiddies were going to be, if only we’d let them “dress up." Before we were quite through dinner came a mysterious scrambling at the side door, and behold, a ghostly company came trooping in. a ghost who looked strangely like a whiteclad nun when she pushed her mask up above her blue eyes*, and a portly “coal man” whom Baby Sister gravely inspected and then described in a most original remark: “Why. grarnm*, if you couldn’t 4 see his face, you couldn' tell which way he’s going. He's big sill 4 roun’, jus’ alike." Some of them were dressed for a “tacky party.” Some were merely masquerading in boys’ clothes, or girls, whichever they were never intended to wear. And there was the usual number of “black-face” come-

dians.

Isn’t there an unlimited amount of fun done up in the usual youngster’s anatomy? Pure mischief, unexpected wit. and a puppylike tendency to roll and tumble and chase each other around tables -with such shouts of laughter that grownups must laugh, regardless of the burdens on our

hearts.

It is good for us. the Little Mother

and myself, to have such evenings, and the children, bless their hearts, will remember such simple pleasures long after more complex, expensive

ones, have palled upon them. No one remembered that we were

to have dessert until we began to {clear away the dishes; and that was not until after our little folks were hustled upstairs and bundled into odds and ends of old clothes. There was no worry about the costumes being appropriate or not. Anything.

^ ^ - just so it was long enough to step pulled the carta themselves and load- on, and ridiculous enough to provoke

have you forgotten how to make sorghum taffy?” she inquired. Had 1? Could any one wno had cleaned dozens of taffy kettles ever forget? And there was a whole gallon of “sorghum” which we had promised the children should be available for

candy making this winter.

y we “c

ing table, and

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ed wheelbarrows and dog carts were in the Jam. Men and women carried their heavy loads with frightened children clinging to what they could to keep themselves from being trodden down o^ lost. The expressions on the faces of the refugees were most pitiful and we began for

time to realize something of leaning of war. Farther on

carts were forced small detachments of ish troops, all look-

laughter. was hailed with delight,

and donned in great glee.

Then they all trooped out “to scare the neighbors." but I heard Martha caution them all. as they started down the steps: “Mustn’t go to Jackson’s, nor Brown’s. They’ve got sick folks, and sick folks mustn’t be scared." Bless her dear little thoughtful self. Not that any one would be seriously frightened by that merry bunch of masqueraders. but they

might be annoyed.

The Little Mother was stacking up the dinner plates as I turned from “shooing” the last youngster out of the living room. "Mother Machree,

Hastily we “cleared away” the din- _ ~ washed the dishes. Then while I got the pans and platters, the Little Mother went to the cupboard (the very one where my boys always looked for a possible package of cigarettes) for the molasses. “What’s in this can, lady?” And she dragged forth a last-year’s

syrup can.

"Oh, that? Why, see if it isn’t popcorn.” That’s how it happened that the “refreshments” at our party consisted of popcorn and grape juice instead of taffy. When the youngsters tired of their neghborhood parade they quite naturally turned their footsteps toward the little house; and when the door was opened, the Little Mother struck pu a lively march, and they marched, and danced and galloped, like little wild things, all over the downstairs

rooms.

Then someone called for a dance, so *the hobo” could “jig"—and such a dance as it was. “The hobo” swayed and swung and whirled, coat-tails flying, neckerchief fluttering like a gypsy scarf, the masked face giving no hint of sex nor color. Then the tattered hat fell off, and down over the ragged coat came tumbling the gold-brown curls of our demure little neighbor in the next block. Such a feminine, fairylike little creature as she is, on 364 days of the year, and such a mad little elf as she was, tonight. But after the mask was off, she could dance and caper no more. “Oh, I couldn’t." she breathed, “they know who I am, now.” The spell was

broken.

I wonder if it isn’t necessary for an

actor ar actress to “dress the part” quite as much for the sake of the artist as it is for the illusion of the audience? Juliet could never breathe

My bounty is as boundless as tie sea. My love as deep: the more I give to thee. The more I have, for both are infinite,

were she to lean from a stage balcony, clad in the serge middy-frock worn by the fifteen-year-old miss of today. I’m not quite sure of that, however, after it is written. There’s no limit to what Miss Fifteen-Year-

Old may think or do, or say. But Romeo, in conventional business suit, with shell-rimmed glasses

would very likely sound most unconvincing to his beloved, and his audi-

ence, should he sigh

* * * Stooey limits can not hold love out And what love can do. that dares love at-

tempt.

In the midst of the children’s merriment, came a peal of the door-bell, and the children trooped after me expecting to see more of their playmates. Instead a tall, well dressed man stood on the porch, and it was not until he turned a ghastly face toward me that I realized he. also was a masquerader. The ghastliness of his countenance was not the result of fear. It was merely the effect to be expected when the human countenance is swathed In an old white cotton stocking-top. The new arrival refused to take part in any of the chlldreh’s fun, but stood aloof, a figure of dignity to

‘ Our Major Taylor, .with the two from Conde-en-Brie, and, assembling Brasles along the road paralleling hedge back of which the German* company commanders, preceded the gunsquads as quickly as possible, we the river toward Chateau Thierry, vrere moving, up came a rifle and

-/They apparently did not know they down dropped a German! ^were in danger. In fact, we after- “ w ® were relieved at 3 a. m. on ward learned that they believed the June 4 by Lieutenant Hose and CoroFrench had abandoned the town and P a ny A, 9th machine gun battalion, they expected to march through and 3d division. My company left town cross the river, halting for the night for the woods south of Fontenelle In at Montmort. The guns under Lieu- three large trucks over a road being tenants Cobbey and Funkhauser constantly shelled. The firing was s6 opened, fire when the enemy arrived heavy during the early part of the at a slight bend in the road. The night that it was necessary to change German discipline was such that the the gunz under Lieutenant Cobbey for soldiers continued to advance untij cool ones and these fresh guns became our positions were apparently located so hot after a couple of hours of flrwhen they deployed into the wheat Ing that they could not be dismounted fields between the road and the and were left with the relieving com-

motley crfcw. By her feet ye shall know her, if your man caller on Halloween happens to be feminine, and I felt somewhat relieved to ''note the When the crowd finally unmasked there were two of the most astonished youngsters in that crowd that one could imagine; for the gentleman in question was their mother—their dignified, stay-at-home mother, whose oldest son was in the navy and who had never done an unconventional thing in all her thirty-seven years. “First time I ever dressed up in my life,” she briefly explained, “Mother didn’t believe in any such nonsense, and I’ve always, been too timid to do it since I’ve been hiarried; but I had to ‘make believe’ just once before I

got too old.”

Then, as we three women sat in the

window seat while the kiddies served their owm refreshments, she continued: “I never made a mud. pie in my life.” From the tone of her voice we sensed a tragic longing to do that one thing, above all others. “And I alw r ays said my youngsters should make mud pies if they had to soak in the bathtub for an hour afterward. Guess I’m too old to undertake that kind of cookery, but I get more fun out of modeling things in the kiddies’

modeling clay than they do.” To think of being starved for mud

pies! That isn’t intended as a pun— it’s a tragedy. It is a bit tragic when children are denied the little everyday pleasures, the kind that cost

pie complain of: “Why, I get so blue when I have to be alone for a day that I nearly go crazy.” They are usually the same people who say: "I couldn’t stand it in the country after sundown

—I’d be so lonesome!”

On the other hand, I’ve heard people complain of the tragedy of being alone in a strange crowd. I can’t understand how any one can feel that way when every other face one sees bears on it such an expression of weariness and distress and loneliness that one must surely feel a very real sympathy for theqp all, and then there are eager, happy-faced travelers, whose optimism and cheerfulness are contagious. Why, I always feel, after an hour on a crowded street, that I have been reading the most thrilling of romances, or seeing a masterpiece enacted. I am glad for those people who have “everything that money can buy” if that is what they want, but I’m everlastingly grateful for all those other treasures that it can not,

or does not, purchase. . MOTHER MACHREE.

ENGINEERS TO MEET.

Members of 113th Regiment Association Will Adopt Constltntion. The 113th Engineers Regiment As-

sociation will meet at 8 o’clock this

nothing but patience and a little time ‘evening in the dining room of the

. A, _ ♦ Vv vw* HT' V, O (1 si «» A

on the mother’s part. These children who know no pleasures save those iavolving the expenditure of money are the least resourceful, as children, and as men and women, of any one in the social structure. My boy has said many times: “Put mother on an unexplored island, miles away from civilization, and she’d find enough things to keep her amused and interested for

a lifetime.”

I think that I could, and would. I know that I should get hungry for the sound of a human voice, and I should miss my books terribly, but I think I’d be able to learn something new and interesting every day from the wild life about me. I should miss my garden, and, after a time, my cook stove. But I have tried always to keep a fine distinction between luxuries and comforts in Boy’s life and mine. Not that I am criticising the taste of persons who must be surrounded with luxuries in order that they may be happy. Neither am I advocating indolence and lack of ambition. But it surely simplifies a few

of life’s problems when we can achieve happiness through a sense of work well done rather than through the expenditure of the money earned

by that labor.

If I knew that I’d give away threefourths of the flowers that bloom in mv garden, that would not lessen my enjovment of it. There would still remain the pleasure of planting time, of watching the seedlings come to maturity, and the glad expectancy of blossoming time- There is no time for loneliness in a busy life. Fd rather have it written on the hearts of my neighbors that I was never too

busy to listen nor too tired to help than that poets should cudgel their grille at 9:05.

brains for fitting tributes to be graven on my tombstones; but, for all that, Fd never be lonely if I lived miles away from the nearest neighbor. By that I mean Fd not suffer from

the affliction Fve heard so many pee- Miss Norma Koch.

Chamber of Commerce building. A large out-of-town attendance is expected. A constitution and bylaws will be adopted and Chelsea A. Stewart, president of the association will announce the committee appointments for the coming year. Jacob Morgan, secretary of the association. says that applications for membership in the organization are coming in from many states and with the large number of Indiana men who formed the major part of the regiment. the 113th Engineers Association will be one of the largest in the country. The oaecers of the association are as follows: Chelsea A- Stewart, president; A. D. Diskey. vice-presi-deit; Jacob Morgan, secretary; A. George, of Terre Haute, sergeant-at-

arms.

river. The grain stood waist high and the men were lost to view. However, our men whipped the field continuously with machine gun fire, caus-

pany.

Assembled Near Fontenelle. “Our 7th machine gun battalion was

s’* Y aV L e «' 1 'tm ti " 'V 11 ' enem>r - At and’proceeded'o^UHU at ‘ ° r " in ’"T' Courbon. where w. were met In peron the peninsula were located and Rnn „ nd congratulated by Majorred upon by enemy machine guns. General j. t. Dlckman, at that time

wounding a man and forcing the rest ai ~ 9A division to withdraw. Our other guns cortin commanding the 3d dirUdon.

ued their effective dre MakLa e " 0ur “T' ."“f.Tat velv tmin

r p w ?a“TT »‘‘ h , Flr " UeUt - be‘To m n' om W cer

'Z “me '.^Th^dTn;. 1 wh. W r: ™ JT-TL 1 Y*

the railroad crosses the Srezanc^ four enUited f‘ “fl r w

highway. By this time the enemv two men wounde<1 ’ ln nearl j r * 11 c* 8 ®*

machine *u„ hr. w.. mucS heeler tr ° m ■ hoU "i*' N °

coming apparently from the high etcept thdee two machlne gun j>»ttalrldg, in the north dl.tance acre.. <£• ”wn .f*<^«“!:

Thierry itself, this town being lira French sector throughout the second

form of a ‘75’ barrage on the north or and thlrd battl * 8 ot lhe M*” 1 ®* witb .. - « norrn, or _ _ division sector on the (vest.

Marne from us. A call by phone to the French artillery brought a re

NATURE CLUB PLANS TRIP

Will Go to Martln»vilie, Sunday, for

Inspection of Antiques.

-The Nature Study Club of Indiana will go to Martinsville, Sunday, following the program arranged for last Sunday, when the trip had to be abandoned because of the rain. An informal hike had been planned for this afternoon, but there were so many requests for the Martinsville trip that it was decided to try it again tomorrow. / The club members will take the 8 o’clock car on the Martinsville interurban line, which arrives in Marti ns-

They will follow the

ridge to Blue Bluffs, carrying their lunches, and will visit the home

of Jack Stevens at Vacatiort Heights for a view of his antiques. Lawrence Allison will be the leader, assisted by

the east.”

This Is the story of the battle of

500 yards toward the long ridge* therV Chateau Thierry, as gathered from

It was the prettiest job you ever saw “ ‘

were defending, 500 yards east toward Brasles, and creeping north for

s-aa unaieau

the officer in command during the

from our point of view and pracUcatlv critlcal hourB and at th ® P lac ® 8 where cleared the wheat fields of all Gor the Geraan Pr® 88ur * waJJ rao8t ln - mans. A general artillery duel now ten8e * 11 Wa * “ 0t t<>ld at ° n * tl1 ?*’ commenced which lasted through the but ° n B€Veral occa * i ® IU ’ “ we vig * next three days. This shelling made ited th * 8p0t * referred t0 ’

it advisable to move Lieutenants Montgomery and Cobbey's guns.

Artillery Fire lucressed.

At nightfall of June 2 the enemy machine gun and artillery fire In-

Men Given Credit.

“Too much credit can not be given the men of the battalion; their action throughout was cool and courageous," was the closing declaration by Major

creased tremendously, and we in- Mendenhall to a class of generals and creased ours In the same proportion hi * h array offlcial8 ported by Gen. keeping at least one gun firing on the Crookshank. who happened to be at bridge at all times. About 11 o’clock Cbat ® au 'Ini®"* a th® that night I heard a terrific explosion front when we arrive<1 * and wh o shortly after which all of my guns pressed the major Into servic* to exceased firing, and in a little while piain what h ® witnessed here and at Lieutenant Bissel, of Company A. Mejty whil « history was in the mak--came to my post with several wound- in *- “° ur men dld thelr duty and ed men belonging to his company. He carried out orders or used their inisaid he had taken part in a counter- tlative where orders were not at hand, attack by the French and got left on absolutely regardless of personal the north bank of the river; that the danger. Coming fresh from thu - French had blown up the west bridge United States, without the opportuto keep the Germans from following »*ty afforded the earlier arrivals for them and this had prevented his re- completing their training, they were treat, forcing him to make a run for rushed practically overnight Into a the railroad bridge we were defend- battle upon the outcome of which ing. Lieutenant Cobbey controlled depended in a great measure the sucthe fire of our guns on the railroad cess of the allied cause. Had the enbridge but knew the Oermans had ®my succeeded in crossings the Marne enfilading fire from their side of the at Chateau Thierry on that first day river. He heard Lieutenant Blssei’s of June there was nothing to hinder call for Company B to hold it* fire; their advance to MontmimU and Sethat some of Company A were about zanne, as they had done in 191.4, and tp cross. But not being satisfied with threatening, if not actually capturing

holding his fire. Lieutenant Cobbey Paris itself.’*

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